Every case cited above confirms what I wrote. If a house-holder kills a burglar, the police will investigate, and if it turns out to be self-defence then it will not be considered a crime. Please before mentioning other cases, do some research to see what the outcome was. (Also, don't trust reports from gutter press like The Daily Mail. They distort details in order to provoke an emotive response from their readers.)
I understand that a homeowner can get away with using deadly force on an intruder IF the implement and defense are improvised or unplanned.
The cases you cite where defenders were not found guilty covered, what appears to be, two cases of improvised weapons & one case of the intruder falling off a ledge while trying to escape the residence. Each case also resulted in the defender being charged with criminal offenses and only being spared a trial at the last moment after months of mental anguish, attorney's fees and damaged reputations.
My impression is that if the homeowner has a
weapon that they
plan to use to defend themselves with
deadly force (in a case such as those you cite) they are very likely guilty of a criminal offense in the UK.
Am I off base?
Previous Topic
Index
